TONIGHT LOCAL 6 EXPOSES CONVENIENCE STORE OWNERS WHO HAVE UNBELIEVABLE LUCK AT WINNING THE LOTTERY. THEY CASHED IN LOTS OF BIG JACKPOTS THEMSELVES. ARE THE STORE OWNERS FORTUNATE OR IS SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS GOING ON? TONIGHT THE FLORIDA LOTTERY HAS A WARNING. MIKE JOINS US FROM OUTSIDE ONE OF THE LOCAL GAS STATIONS THAT WAS THE TARGET OF A LOTTERY INVESTIGATION. MIKE, FIRST OF ALL, IS IT LEGAL FOR STORE OWNERS TO PLAY THE LOTTERY? YES, IT IS, LEASE, RETAILERS HAVE THE SAME RIGHT TO PLAY THE LOTTERY. MACHINES HAVE BEEN RIPPED OUT OF THIS STORE AND UP IN ORMAN BEACH AND THE LOTTERY LICENSES HAVE BEEN REVOKED. WHEN IT COMES TO LOTTERY, TESS APPEARS TO BE A BIG WINNER THE ORLANDO CONVENIENCE STORE OWNER CLAIMED 74 LARGE JACKPOTS TOTALING MORE THAN $189,000. MISS PATTEL, WE WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO YOU BY YOUR LOTTERY WINNINGS. IN STORE OWNER HAS BETTER SIX, SINCE 2003, SHE'S CLAIMED 103 TICKETS EARNING HER $212,000. IS IT JUST LUCK? JUST LUCK. THAT'S IT. PATEL'S HUSBAND CLAIM HE AND HIS WIFE HAVE GOOD FORTUNATE IT'S FISHING. IT'S SUSPICIOUS. FLORIDA LOTTERY OFFICIALS THINK SO TOO. THEY BEGAN INVESTIGATING THE STORE OWNERS AS PART OF A STATE WIDE PROBE. WE ARE BEING PROACTIVE IN SEEKING OUT THE OWNERS THAT MAY BE GAMING THE SYSTEM. PATEL CASHED IN FIVE TICKETS TO EARN $1,000. IN THIS GAME, IT'S 1-5000 IN THIS SCRATCH OFF, IT'S 1 IN 8571 ARE YOU THAT LUCKY NO, I'M NOT. DO YOU THINK IT'S POSSIBLE TO BE THAT LUCKY? I DON'T THINK SO, I REALLY DON'T. STATE INVESTIGATORS SAY PATEL LIED TO THEM. AS FOR TESS, INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE HE MAY BE TICKET BROKERING. THEY BUY TICKETS FROM WINNERS OF LARGE TICKETS TO AVOID PAYING OUT BIG FINES. LOTTERY OFFICIALS BELIEVE HE MAY BE DEFRAUDING PLAYERS OF THEIR TICKETS. THE POSSIBLE SCENARIO WOULD BE THE RETAILER WOULD TAKE THE TICKET, MAY BE NOT SCAN IT OR VALIDATE IT AND THEN TELL THE PLAYER THIS IS NOT A WINNER. TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING TO YOU. LOTTERY OFFICIALS SAY YOU SHOULD ASK TO SEE THE CLERK'S COMPUTER SCREEN. IN MANY PLACES, YOU CAN SCAN THE TICKETS YOURSELF. AND TO MAKE SURE YOU RECEIVE YOUR PRIZE, PLAYERS ARE URGED TO SIGN THEIR TICKETS. THE INTEGRITY OF THE LOTTERY IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND HAVING THE PUBLIC TRUST IS OUR FOREMOST MISSION. AND FLORIDA LOTTERY OFFICIALS POINT OUT AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY PLAY BY THE RULES. THE OWNER DISPUTES THE WINNING NUMBERS WE OBTAINED AND WOULD NOT COMMENT. THE FLORIDA LOTTERY LAUNCHED THIS INVESTIGATION. COULD EITHER TWO RETAILERS FACE CRIMINAL PROSECUTION? WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE SPECIFIC SITUATIONS, LISA, I CAN TELL YOU THEY HAVE NOT BEEN CHARGED WITH ANY CRIMES. OTHER CONVENIENCE STORE OWNERS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED FOR STEALING TICKETS FROM PEOPLE HERE IN THE STATE. JUST GOES TO SHOW WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO SIGN THE BACK OF YOUR TICKETS. GOOD ADVICE, THANK YOU MIKE. AND TO LEARN THE SPECIFIC THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PROTECT

ORLANDO, Fla. -

When it comes to picking the right numbers in the Florida Lottery, Tesfai Kassye appears to be a big winner. In the past nine years, records show the Orlando convenience store owner has claimed 74 large jackpots totaling $189,372.

Nilam Patel, who owns two Ormond Beach convenience stores, has had even better success playing scratch-off games. Since 2003 Patel has claimed 103 winning tickets worth $212,363, according to state lottery records.

Florida Lottery officials find it unusual, too. So the state began investigating Kassye and Patel as part of a statewide probe of retailers with a high number of prize claims.

"We're being very proactive about going out there and seeking out those retailers we think might be gaming the system," said Don Creley, Florida Lottery's district manager for the Orlando region.

Under lottery rules, any jackpot totaling $600 or more must be claimed at a Florida Lottery district office, the agency's headquarters in Tallahassee, or by mail.

On March 25, Nilam Patel claimed winning five scratch-off tickets at a district office, each worth $1,000. On one of those games the odds of winning that much money are one in 2,163. On another game there is a one in 8,571 chance of winning $1,000.

Investigators with the Florida Lottery's Division of Security found it suspicious that none of those winning tickets were purchased at Patel's stores. Retailers have a financial incentive to buy tickets at their own establishments because they receive a 5 percent commission on each sale.

Lottery officials also found it unusual that two of Patel's tickets had been previously scanned at other retailers' stores to see if they were winners before they were scanned a second time at her store. Investigators questioned why Patel waited more than a month to cash in some of her winning tickets.

During an interview with lottery investigators, Patel insisted she had never been given a ticket by someone else to cash and has never paid anyone for a winning ticket. She said her husband buys tickets wherever they are shopping and that she does not care about earning the sales commission.

Patel told investigators they check the tickets at their own stores a second time to verify they are winners, but have little time to claim their prizes at a district office due to having kids in school.

Lottery officials did not believe Patel's account. They disputed Patel's claim that she had to drive her husband despite him having a drivers license. Investigators also said lottery records contradict Patel's assertion that the couple usually checks their winning tickets at a nearby Publix.

"It appears Mrs. Patel has not been truthful during the course of this investigation," wrote the case agent.

On June 3, the Florida Lottery terminated Patel's retailer contracts at her two stores, The Grocery Box and Crossroad Grocery.

"You have violated Florida law, Lottery rules, and your retailer contracts," the agency's general counsel informed Patel in a letter.

Like Patel, most of Tesfai Kassye's winning tickets were purchased at stores other than his own. Records show 11 of them were bought at a competing convenience store directly across the street from Kassye's Washington Shores gas station.

Kassye told lottery investigators he spends $400-500 a week on scratch-offs, buying them wherever he goes. He refused to explain why his winning tickets were scanned at multiple locations, according to a report.

"The activity observed to be conducted by Mr. Kassye appears to be the results of either defrauding players of their tickets or ticket brokering," concluded the case agent.

Ticket brokers buy winning tickets from players who may not want to claim large prizes themselves, according to lottery officials. The state is required to deduct child support, outstanding fines and other state debts from any lottery winnings over $600.

Some unscrupulous clerks have also been known to steal winning tickets from players. During a recent sting operation, four South Florida clerks were arrested for allegedly telling undercover agents their tickets were losers when they were actually winning tickets. The clerks later attempted to claim the prizes, according to reports.

Kassye has not been charged with any crimes. However, the Florida Lottery removed machines from Kassye’s two Orlando stores -- Sam’s Super Market and Sam’s Service Station -- and revoked his lottery license.

The Florida Lottery has been conducting undercover sting operations since 2009 as part of the agency’s Retailer Integrity Program. A Florida Lottery spokeswoman confirmed additional investigations were launched following recent reports published by the Palm Beach Post indicating six of the state's 10 most prolific lottery winners are retailers.

Florida Lottery officials pointed out that most retailers are honest and have a financial incentive to remain in good standing with the agency.

"The average lottery player, when they go into a store, spends about twice as much (on merchandise)," said Creley. "Lottery brings people off the gas island and into the store to make a purchase. If they don’t have lottery in their store, that player is going to go somewhere else."

To combat fraud and retailer theft, the Florida Lottery has launched a public education campaign urging players to sign their tickets upon purchasing them.

“By signing it you're ensuring you're the one who owns that ticket,” said Creley.

Many retailers have self-serve scanners which allow players to check their own tickets for winners. If one is not available, Creley recommends that players ask to see the clerk’s computer screen to verify the ticket's status. If the clerk refuses, tickets can be checked at a Florida Lottery district office.

"The integrity of the lottery and having the public trust is our foremost mission," said Creley.

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